SM005

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Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon

SM006 : A Shocking Grocery Run! →

Yo, Ho, Ho! Go, Popplio!

SM005   EP944 アシマリ、がんバルーン！ Ashimari, Give it Your bALLoon!

First broadcast Japan December 1, 2016 United States May 15, 2017

English themes Opening Under The Alolan Sun Ending

Japanese themes Opening アローラ!! Ending ポーズ

Credits Animation Team Kato Screenplay 冨岡淳広 Atsuhiro Tomioka Storyboard 浅田裕二 Yūji Asada Assistant director 渡辺正彦 Masahiko Watanabe Animation directors 夏目久仁彦 Kunihiko Natsume 直井由紀 Yuki Naoi Additional credits

Screenshots on Filb.de Preview thread on BMGf Closed Original review thread on BMGf Dub review thread on BMGf

Yo, Ho, Ho! Go, Popplio! (Japanese: アシマリ、がんバルーン！ Ashimari, Give it Your bALLoon!) is the fifth episode of Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon, and the 944th episode of the Pokémon animated series. It first aired in Japan on December 1, 2016, in Canada on April 15, 2017, in the United Kingdom on April 18, 2017, and in the United States on May 15, 2017.

Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.

Blurb

Ash’s class is going on a fishing trip, and Professor Kukui asks Lana to be in charge! Everyone casts their lures, with varying results—Lana befriends one Pokémon after another, but Ash and Mallow can’t get the timing right, Sophocles is too busy collecting data, and Lillie hooks a magnificent Milotic that gets away when she freezes.

When they take a break, all their new Pokémon friends get scooped up in a Team Rocket net—and then find themselves falling toward some rocks! But Lana’s Popplio has been working hard for such an occasion, and it creates a giant water balloon to cushion the fall and save the day!

Plot

Ash heads out for school early as Pikachu and Rockruff play. On their way to school, Ash spots Lana and Popplio testing their balloon skills. They continue as Ash goes on ahead to school. Arriving at school, Ash is surprised when a sleeping Rowlet falls out of his bag. Later, Professor Kukui informs his students that tomorrow's extracurricular lesson will involve connecting with sea Pokémon which will involve going fishing. Outside, Team Rocket is spying on them and wonder what Ash is doing going to school. They are spotted by Samson Oak, who states that they seem suspicious, but Team Rocket claims that they are just tourists. Back in class, Professor Kukui tells Lana she will be in charge of the lesson. Later, Ash and Lana are walking home with Lana offering Ash one of her fishing rods. Lana decides to show Ash one of Popplio's techniques, unaware that Team Rocket is spying on them. Down on the beach, Rotom provides data on Popplio which includes making balloons.

Lana and Popplio becoming partners

Ash realizes that this was what Lana was doing that morning. Lana explains that she met Popplio here when it was being attacked by several Team Skull Grunts but she soon dealt with them. After Popplio was treated by Nurse Joy, Popplio agreed to be her partner. Popplio manages to make several balloons but they are small and quickly pop. Lana explains her dream is to make the biggest balloon possible to make her spend more time underwater. Another balloon attempt results in a bigger balloon which flies away before popping. Spotting Lapras excites Ash, as Lana explains that it is her Ride Pokémon. Overhearing this, Team Rocket decide to capture as many Ride Pokémon and Meowth decides to come up with a plan. Inside Lana's house, Ash meets Lana's sisters Harper and Sarah, who are excited to see Pikachu. They take him into the next room to play, which starts to bother Pikachu. Lana tells them to stop. The twins see Ash and ask if he is her boyfriend, which Lana denies. Their antics annoy Pikachu which results in him shocking everyone.

The next morning, the class gathers, with Lillie wearing a protective suit. Professor Kukui hands over teaching duties to Lana. Despite being nervous, she begins the lesson. The class get on the Lapras and Wailmer who take them to their fishing spot. Lana begins her lesson by saying that many marine Pokémon live here and they cast their lures into the water as Pikachu dips his tail in. Lana instructs the class and the best course of action before managing to reel numerous Pokémon. Ash and Mallow soon get bites, but their reactions aren't enough to reel it in successfully. Kiawe hasn't caught anything, while Sophocles isn't keen on the others distracting him. Pikachu gets a bite on his tail which ends up being a Magikarp. Pikachu flicks Magikarp and it lands in Ash's hand but it splashes and goes back into the water. Lillie gets a bite which turns out to be a Milotic and tries to reel it in. Lana and Ash rush to help Lillie, with Ash leaping across the water, only to be hit as Milotic jumps out of the water and sends him into the water as the line snaps. Professor Kukui decides the time has come to take a break.

They take their break on a small island where Professor Kukui gives them 15 minutes to relax. As the Pokémon play, Team Rocket swoop down in their balloon and capture the Ride Pokémon along with several others. Team Rocket start to leave but Jessie notices the extra Pokémon. Their actions annoy Lana as Ash tells Pikachu to attack, only to be stopped when Team Rocket points out that the Pokémon will be hurt. Ash comes up with another plan and has Pikachu jump on Rotom to gain some momentum. This allows Pikachu to fly towards the balloon and break through the net. Lana gets Popplio to make a large balloon which allows the Pokémon bounce off and land safely in the water. Team Rocket is not happy with this, and Jessie sends out Mimikyu, whose attack is deflected back at the balloon. Ash has Rowlet use Leafage which pops the balloon. This sends Team Rocket falling towards the ocean, only for Bewear to run across the water and catch them before running off. After Lana checks on the Pokémon, Ash compliments Popplio's work. Popplio creates a big balloon at Ash's request, which floats him and Pikachu into the air, only for it to pop sending them falling down.

Major events

• Lana reveals how she first met Popplio.
• Ash meets Harper and Sarah, Lana's younger sisters, for the first time.

For a list of all major events in the animated series, please see the history page.

Debuts

Humans

• Harper and Sarah

Characters

Humans

Dare da?

• Ash
• Lana
• Kiawe
• Lillie
• Sophocles
• Mallow
• Jessie
• James
• Nurse Joy (flashback)
• Professor Kukui
• Samson Oak
• Harper and Sarah
• Team Skull Grunts (flashback)

Pokémon

Who's That Pokémon?

Who's That Pokémon?: Popplio

• Pikachu (Ash's)
• Meowth (Team Rocket)
• Wobbuffet (Jessie's)
• Rotom (Rotom Pokédex)
• Rowlet (Ash's)
• Lapras (Lana's; Ride Pokémon)
• Popplio (Lana's)
• Togedemaru (Sophocles's)
• Bounsweet (Mallow's)
• Mimikyu (Jessie's)
• Blissey (Nurse Joy's; flashback)
• Comfey (Nurse Joy's; flashback)
• Komala (Samson Oak's)
• Rockruff (Professor Kukui's; taking care of)
• Lapras (Ride Pokémon; ×3)
• Wailmer (Ride Pokémon; ×2)
• Lapras (×3; Ride Pokémon; fantasy)
• Bewear (anime)
• Slowpoke (×2)
• Sharpedo
• Alomomola
• Corsola (×2)
• Luvdisc (×3)
• Finneon
• Magikarp
• Milotic
• Poliwag
• Pelipper
• Wailord (fantasy)
• Kyogre (fantasy)
• Goldeen (fantasy)
• Alomomola (fantasy)
• Tentacruel (fantasy)
• Shellder (fantasy)
• Finneon (×3; fantasy)
• Staryu (fantasy)
• Chinchou (fantasy)
• Carvanha (×2; fantasy)
• Shellos (East Sea Form; ×2; fantasy)
• Wailmer (×3; fantasy)
• Corsola (fantasy)
• Luvdisc (×2; fantasy)
• Relicanth (fantasy)
• Magikarp (silhouette)
• Bruxish (painting)

Trivia

• Pokémon QR Code: Lapras
• Poké Problem: What type is the cutie pie known as Popplio?
  • Host: Lana
  • Choices: Water, Fire, Grass, Electric
  • Answer: Water
• In the Canadian airing, the title card of the episode calls it Yo, Ho, Ho! Go Popplio!. Various TV guides and the title card used in the United Kingdom airing call it Yo, Ho, Ho! Go, Popplio!.
• Ash and Mallow break the fourth wall after Rotom criticizes their fishing skills by pushing in split screens to squish Rotom.
• Sophocles's Togedemaru, Ash, Pikachu, and Sophocles narrate the preview for the next episode.
• This episodes features the return of Team Rocket's Meowth balloon with a new design.
• Lana and Ash read the Who's That Pokémon? segment in the dub.
• This episode marks the first appearance of a Shellos in the anime since Gateway to Ruin!, 342 episodes earlier.
  • This episode also marks the first appearance of a Pelipper in the anime since its cameo in Zoroark: Master of Illusions, over six years prior.

Errors

• When Lapras freezes the Team Skull Grunts that were bullying Popplio with Ice Beam, the two female Grunts disappear.
• When Ash stands up before the group begins fishing, Ash isn't wearing his Z-Ring.
• When the class takes a break before Team Rocket attacks, a Pelipper had its upper bill colored white instead of yellow.
• When Popplio surrounds Ash and Pikachu with a water balloon, Togedemaru is miscolored as Pikachu. This error is fixed in the Mandarin, Cantonese, and English dubs.
  • In the next shot, Pikachu isn't seen with Ash as they are inside the water balloon.

• 

  Ash's missing Z-Ring

• 

  Pelipper's beak error

• 

  Togedemaru's error

In other languages

Language		Title
Mandarin Chinese		球球海獅，努力吹氣球！
Czech		Johohó! Do toho, Popplio!
Danish		Skib ohøj! Sådan, Popplio!
Dutch		Yo, ho ho, hup Popplio!
Finnish		Huhhahhei, hyvä Popplio!
European French		Otaquin, le plus malin des marins !
German		Groß! Größer! Robball, los!
Greek		Yo, Ho, Ho! Go, Popplio! *
Hebrew		!פוקמון אריה ים: פופליו
Hindi		लगे रहो! शाबाश पॉप्पलिओ! Lage Raho! Shabash Popplio!
Italian		Yo-ho-ho! Vai, Popplio!
Korean		누리공, 힘내룬!
Norwegian		Skip ohoi! Heia Popplio!
Polish		Hej, ho ho! Naprzód, Popplio!
Portuguese	Brazil	Bolhas, bolhas! Vai, Popplio!
	Portugal	Yo-ho-ho! Força, Popplio!
Romanian		Yo, Ho, Ho! Hai, Popplio!
Russian		Йо-хо-хо! Так держать, Попплио!
Spanish	Latin America	¡Ánimo, vamos Popplio!
	Spain	¡Tres hurras para Popplio!
Swedish		Hej hå, heja Popplio!
Thai		อาชิมาริ เรื่องบอลลูนสู้ ๆ นะ!
Turkish		Hey, Ho, Ho! Hadi, Popplio! Yo Ho Ho, Göster Kendini Popplio!

← SM004 : First Catch in Alola, Ketchum-Style!

Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon

SM006 : A Shocking Grocery Run! →

This episode article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of Pokémon animation.